M109A6 Paladin by Soul_Assassin, NouberNou and rexehuk

[soul_assassin 1745]

The color of the lifting plugs was taken from the 2 only pictures that I found that had them:

http://www.mil-spec-industries.com/images/4/images/155mm%20dp%20icm%20projectile.JPG

http://science.dodlive.mil/2010/08/13/say-goodbye-to-tnt/

Dint read anything about them in the TM so I assumed it was right :) but thnx for pointing that out, will change.

[purepassion 22]

if you want some more reference you should check this page out

http://www.primeportal.net/artillery/cam_alldredge/m109a6_paladin/index.php?Page=1

[noubernou 77]

Excellent work, the image is spot-on with the exception of the font color (units I've used have always been more yellow-ish). And honestly, the orange-ish color you use looks better, easier to read.

Haha, for a more advanced version I am going to replicate the system (including colors and lay out) according to the TM.

I've pulled lanyards long enough to know that there is nothing really exciting about gunning a Paladin. And considering the fact that you aren't actually loading and ramming the shell/charge manually, hooking up, etc then what's the point of even having a human "gunner"? I fully understand the reasoning behind letting players only act as either driver or chief.

The gunner basically plays the gunner and assistant gunner, choosing the right round, charge, fuze, and fuze settings (including fuze time). Its essentially the same system I have implemented (though a bit more automated and less hands on) in ACE for the M119 105mm light gun.

It is mostly for a combination of timing player controlled missions and introducing the possibility of crew error. There will be the ability to man only the AFCS and let AI do the rest though.

I did have a few questions though that I didn't see asked/answered already:

1) Is the traverse lock animated, and able to function? Do you have any plans to give the spades the ability to be used?

2) The shells used are default BIS shells, or something new to the addon? Same with effects/specs?

3) As new shell effects are created, do you have plans to add them to the addon via future updates? I'm hoping to eventually see a combination of HE, DPICM, ILLUM, SMOKE, RAP, and even Copperhead.

1) Traverse lock I think is planned to be animated, I know I am going to at least allow the stow function to work in the dialog either way. Spades would be really nice. Right now the thing rolls back like half a meter on super 8s or MACS 5 at anything under about 800 mills! :eek: So spades would probably be beneficial.

2) New shell configs, new damage values, etc. Effects will probably be new depending on help/time.

3) The initial release will have DPICM, ILLUM, SMOKE, and HE (M795, no M107), all using MOFA fuzes (expensive, but easy to simulate :p). RAP and Copperhead depend on a few technical things at the moment, the same for Excal. I'd also like to add in FASCAM and BONUS/SADARM type rounds as well eventually, but not in the initial release and possibly only for ACE depending on the technical nature (though making it really isn't that much work to implement them, and have already experimented with a BONUS like round).

---------- Post added at 04:03 AM ---------- Previous post was at 04:02 AM ----------

if you want some more reference you should check this page out

http://www.primeportal.net/artillery/cam_alldredge/m109a6_paladin/index.php?Page=1

Haha, if you check the AFCS in those pictures you will notice something very similar on the one in game. ;)

[purepassion 22]

@NouberNou

haha yes!

http://raceriv.com/arma2/afcs_01.jpg vs http://data3.primeportal.net/artillery/cam_alldredge/m109a6_paladin/images/m109a6_paladin_016_of_184.jpg

[mr.g-c 6]

Nou i woudl change the fire-effects a little bit more. Judging by the videos even in slow-mo i couldn't spot any "fire" or "flames" coming out of the barrel. Also i woudl change smoke color in very very light gray or even white.

Everything else is superb!

For your planned/considered future round-types, i think Vigilante already did some work on some of them during Arma1 times and he showed some impressive videos at that point...

[purepassion 22]

@ mr.g-c

i think the are very early WIP's

and wasnt OS supposed to get his hands on this?

[noubernou 77]

Nou i woudl change the fire-effects a little bit more. Judging by the videos even in slow-mo i couldn't spot any "fire" or "flames" coming out of the barrel. Also i woudl change smoke color in very very light gray or even white.

Everything else is superb!

For your planned/considered future round-types, i think Vigilante already did some work on some of them during Arma1 times and he showed some impressive videos at that point...

You don't see flames in this video? :confused:

0gP1ZlSitzI

The black smoke is something I am trying to figure out, as there are a number of images of the Paladin firing with very dark smoke, and a lot of videos of it firing with more gray smoke.

I am deducing from that though, due to the age of the pictures with darker smoke, that those are from the older bag charges, and that the new MACS charges have a lighter color of smoke across the charge numbers... I might be totally wrong though.

As for the flame, the MACS charge system that I am using pretty much removes most of the flame as each charge increment has a flash suppressor on it, reducing flash quite a bit. Might not look as cool, but it won't get you spotted as easily! :p

[ninja2dan 1]

The black smoke is something I am trying to figure out, as there are a number of images of the Paladin firing with very dark smoke, and a lot of videos of it firing with more gray smoke.

I am deducing from that though, due to the age of the pictures with darker smoke, that those are from the older bag charges, and that the new MACS charges have a lighter color of smoke across the charge numbers... I might be totally wrong though.

As for the flame, the MACS charge system that I am using pretty much removes most of the flame as each charge increment has a flash suppressor on it, reducing flash quite a bit. Might not look as cool, but it won't get you spotted as easily!

From my experience, it's not necessarily the charge type or increment size that contributes the most to the color/thickness of the smoke, but it also has a lot to do with the temperature and moisture in the air. We usually fired the same shell/fuze/charge combinations at one specific range because it uses a single impact zone, and the smoke would vary by time of day and season.

In the two examples below, the first one was during the summer (not much smoke visible) and the second was late fall/early winter (smoke was almost fog-like). And yes I know that's an A5 and not an A6, those were training guns from '98/99.

As for the flame, to be honest you rarely see it in person unless you're really looking for it. But cameras (both still and video) tend to capture it a lot more, making the muzzle blast seem more ferocious than it really is.

And as mentioned before, the color/thickness of the smoke plume can vary by time of day, season, and even the camera used. In fact, you could see two photos of the same gun firing at the same moment, but both photos might look very different just because of the shutter speed and camera settings. You can imagine why the photos and videos online vary so much between color and thickness.

[noubernou 77]

This picture looks like fairly natural lighting, not over or too under exposed and the smoke seems jetblack: http://raceriv.com/img/images/paladin-firing-2.jpg

I agree that the weather definitely has an effect on it, especially the persistence I imagine (which is an all around problem with all ArmA2 smoke/dust effects).

As for the flame, unless you see it in slow motion in the game, yea its there for a split second, and with the flash suppressing charges the flame is even less noticeable.

[soul_assassin 1745]

This picture looks like fairly natural lighting, not over or too under exposed and the smoke seems jetblack: http://raceriv.com/img/images/paladin-firing-2.jpg

I agree that the weather definitely has an effect on it, especially the persistence I imagine (which is an all around problem with all ArmA2 smoke/dust effects).

As for the flame, unless you see it in slow motion in the game, yea its there for a split second, and with the flash suppressing charges the flame is even less noticeable.

Actually i think this image was taken either with a polarization filter or mabe UV haze filter, colors look saturated.

[noubernou 77]

Actually i think this image was taken either with a polarization filter or mabe UV haze filter, colors look saturated.

It does look saturated yes, but a number of other photos appear to be affected quite a bit by haze or over exposure.

Its hard to tell. I think the smoke should be lighter over all, especially at lower charges though.

[Smurf 12]

You don't see flames in this video? :confused:

0gP1ZlSitzI

From the frontal view the smoke at first looked like a...

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Sorry, had to do that.... Awesome work on this project guys!

[purepassion 22]

perfect balls of fire ;)

[NutzMcKracken 17]

I commend you Soul, Nouber and all that work on this.

Coming from someone that yes is up and coming in modeling, but mainly from someone who personally spent some close time working on these!! I was the part of the first class to go through Mech school at Aberdeen Proving Grounds! The Paladins "shoot move and communicate" literally.

Bring back the old days using the '88 to tow one of these should it break down in the feild.

You thinking of doing the M992 FAASV? From the looks of things you could use a good portion of your base hull model for it. Literally use the Supply truck properties in order to keep this thing loaded.

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/m992.htm

Just an idea. look forward to enjoying it.

Alot of props on the correct detail!

GOOD WORK!

2AD 1/3 FA C - 4ID 4/42 FA C - Force XXI 1st Brigade

Edited April 28, 2011 by NutzMcKracken

[soul_assassin 1745]

I've decided to hand over the hull to the talented guys at Combat! For the M992 I know them quite well and I know that they will do the job right.

---------- Post added at 12:00 AM ---------- Previous post was Yesterday at 11:59 PM ----------

For first release you will be able to rearm yourself at the pellets.

[soul_assassin 1745]

Testing barrel rollback animation

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[Andy Mcnab 10]

very nice animation ,can`t wait for Release.

[noubernou 77]

Some random effects/projectile vids...

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[mr burns 131]

Looking great. Avid artillery fan since CoC UA here, everything is welcome!

..coming from a guy who´s not used the new ACE poles and battery comp. yet..

Seeing that you´re into effects atm, any chance for something like this? :love:

[noubernou 77]

Looking great. Avid artillery fan since CoC UA here, everything is welcome!

..coming from a guy who´s not used the new ACE poles and battery comp. yet..

Seeing that you´re into effects atm, any chance for something like this? :love:

We don't have the base bleed (or burn) rounds in yet (which those are)... Hrmmm they look essentially the same model wise (not that you can see them lol)...

Let me see....

---------- Post added at 03:53 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:04 AM ----------

Still working out some issues with it...

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Its too visible in the day time now... Also that video they are a bit larger than they should be IMO.

[mr burns 131]

Hrmmm they look essentially the same model wise (not that you can see them lol)...

You mean you wouldn´t be able to make awesomesauce photo of it?

That´s a pity, but i reckon you know what you do :)

Nice job on the burn rounds too! (not that i´d know what they do, other than glow :p ) .. are these giant tracers used as ammo-model?

Quite sure that i´ve seen some sort of config switch for ammo being visible only in nvg, but cannot find it now. The only thing close is "onlyInNvg" being used on IR strobes, but thats not it..

[noubernou 77]

Base Burn/Bleed rounds use a non-propelling rocket motor in the back to create an area of high pressure around the back end of the shell. This reduces drag (effectively it gives it a really nice boat-tail in terms of air flow) quite a lot, increasing range.

Compared to a RAP (Rocket Assisted Projectile) round they are much more accurate, as there is no additional propulsion (RAP rounds ignite a propelling rocket motor mid flight that gives it a boost in speed) to exaggerate or introduce new variations in the trajectory.

Right now the BB effect is done via a light source and a particleSource attached to the round as it leaves.

[noubernou 77]

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I wasn't expecting to make this round, but I had most of the code laying around... :)

[therussiandong 10]

Looking awesome! Looking forward to playing with this beast..

[noubernou 77]

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Just another quick video, sorry for the pause during it, I alt-tabbed to do something in TS3 for a second! :p